Broken Shields
by Glynda
Summary: With the war lost and the humans pushed into the larger cities behind great walls, The hunters who gave there lives and even those who returned alive where treated as pests, many people blamed the hunters and some cities will not allow hunters inside. Summer Rose, one of the many in hiding will help bring the world to peace even after all of the hate they received.
1. Chapter 1

Broken Shield.

Chapter 1

Note: I'm sorry, I forgot to upload this last night after the other chapters went up but this is the new story In hope you like it and I'm always open to suggestions so please review and tell me what you think.

Summer sits in her chair behind the counter in her shop, thinking about her daughter. It had been two weeks since Ruby had gone to visit her uncle in the next city, despite Summer's misgivings about the trip due to Ruby being so young; not to mention that going outside the walls for _anyone_ was dangerous. Thankfully, her contact who runs people as well as items between cities had been able to help her keep tabs on Ruby.

Summer turns the sign to closed in order to take a break, expecting Odell to be home shortly with Yang, their adopted daughter. Her mother -Summer's sister, Kanika- had been killed during the war so she and Odell had taken the girl in as their daughter. Summer begins preparations to start dinner when her scroll lights up with a message.

The scroll reads "Honey you need to leave, now! Somehow they found out about me and before long they'll know about you too. They have already branded me and Yang. If you leave now you can meet Albus outside the wall and get to Crow's place in the next city. I'll see you when I can, I love you."

Summer runs up the stairs to her bedroom "I can't believe they found us, after so long going unnoticed." She says to herself as she throws her clothing and a few other items into a suitcase. She keeps nothing of actual import in the city, so she doesn't worry too much about what goes into the case.

The streets are littered with people of all kinds, some who are like her, hunters and huntresses in hiding, and some who are the reason they are hiding. As she approaches the city gate she receives some sympathetic glances from people who know her well. Even the man at the gate knows that she will never be coming back. "What's your business?"

Summer gives him a thankful smile and walks to the large gate. "Just going to visit some family in the next city, I have a ride so you don't need to worry."

The man closes his scroll and looks at her. "Well everything seems to be in order, please be safe." With that he pushes a button and the gate starts to open, the bars come apart from each other until only a three foot steel door remains in her way, it opens and Summer walks through it. In the distance she can hear the sirens that belong to the cars taking Odell and Yang into holding for the night.

As the gate closes Summer opens her scroll, she had gotten another message when she was walking but didn't dare open it until now. It is from Albus, a good friend of hers. He is what some people call a runner, he spends long periods of time outside cities, taking people and items where ever the person who is paying wants to go, although many cities won't let him past the gate.

Summer reads his message. "I got the news from Odell and I should be there soon just hold out for a bit."

After a short time Albus arrives, still in the same gear that he wore back when they went to Beacon Academy -a gray, long sleeve shirt; black cargo pants; his bone white armor and black cloak along with a black helmet.

"I see you still ride this death trap" Summer says to him.

Albus sits on a large motorcycle with two thin wheels in the front and a small thruster on the back to hold it up, it's armored from front to back with several areas for weapons and other items to be held.

"You know it," he smiles briefly at his friend, despite the desperate situation, "now come on, we need to get you to Crow's city before word of you gets there, you won't have much time but I have a plan in case you can't get out before they find you."

Summer reluctantly jumps on the back seat of the "death trap" and they start down the road.

The ride takes around four hours and the two hope they don't run into any Grimm along the way. They pass the time with idle chat about current events and reminisce about their past. They arrive just before nightfall and Summer enters the city with out any trouble.

Once Summer is in she sends a message to Crow, telling him that she will be there shortly to explain what has happened.

Summer knocks on Crows door as the sun begins to set. "Please don't be sleeping." She says out loud to no one.

The door opens a few moments later. "Summer I'm glad to see you made it here safely." Crow turns around and walks back inside.

Summer follows him and sits across from him on he couch. "Albus got me here but that's not important right now! Where is Ruby?"

"She's asleep upstairs. I assume you will be taking her back home?" Crow seems slightly disappointed, as he always enjoys spending time with his niece.

Summer stands up and heads for the stairs. "No I can't go back there, Ruby and I can only stay for a short while longer before word gets from my old city to here."

Crow gets up and follows summer up to Ruby's room. "I guess around two days until they find you, will you be staying here?"

She sits down next to Ruby who is still sleeping. "No, we will be renting a room until Albus can make it back to pick us up." She shakes Ruby gently. "Ruby, dear, wake up we need to leave."

Ruby sleepily opens her eyes. "Mom? What are you doing here?" She sits up on her bed.

"We can talk more later, dear, but hurry and get your things." Summer gives her a quick hug before she starts to gather Ruby's clothing, putting it in the suitcase she had given her.

Shortly after, they arrive at a hotel. It is small but they only need one bed and Summer has no plans to stay for very long.

Ruby falls back asleep before she can even get in the bed, Summer lays her down then continues with what she needs to do before she can go to sleep. From her suitcase she pulls out a red dress with a slit on the hip covered by black lacing, it is very short except for the back which reaches down to her ankles and has lines of red from the sleeves to the chest that are hardly visible. "I didn't think I would be wearing this anytime soon," She sighs, puts down the dress, and pulls her black hair out of it's bun. It falls just past her shoulders. She then grabs one last thing from her suitcase, a red cloak, slightly worn but still in good condition. She sighs with relief that she has not forgotten it, then returns it to the suitcase before going to sleep.

A loud banging on the door wakes Summer early in the morning. "Who is it?" Summer mumbles, still mostly asleep.

The banging continues until Summer is forced out of bed, she is careful not to wake Ruby. "What do you want!" As she opens the door three men in uniform come in. One grabs her and pins her to the ground while one grabs Ruby and puts her next to Summer, the third does nothing but look at Summer.

"Give me the mark so we can get these two out of the city." The men holding Summer yells at the others as one hands him something that looks like a handle to a sword. One end is rounded while the other is flat, the flat side if pressed to your skin burns the mark of a broken shield onto your body.

As the man pushes the marker onto her shoulder Summer screams in pain, she tries to fight back but can't use her semblance while the mark is still being burned onto her. She starts to struggle and the second man comes and pushes her down once more.

When they finish the first man looks at Ruby, as he is about to reach for her the third man grabs his hand. "Sir she's just a little girl you don't need to do this." The first man yanks his hand away.

He stops to think for a moment. "Then you do it! And I want to hear her scream, got it!?" With that he shoves the marker into the third man's chest, walks out the door, and calls for the other man to follow.

Summer looks at him in disgust until he removes his helmet, "Bayard? What are you doing with them?" Bayard is a good friend from her time at Beacon, his hair is black and his eyes rust colored, only now he is wearing the city police uniform.

"Shhh, do you want them to hear you, Albus got me into the city to help you out." Bayard then takes the marker and puts it in his bag only to take out another. "This one will go away in a few days and it won't hurt as much." Her leans down to Ruby. "Ruby, you've grown since I saw you last, now when I put this on you, I need you to scream as loud as you can OK, you can stop when I take it off." Ruby nods at him.

Bayard takes the fake marker and presses it to Ruby's shoulder, Ruby lets out an ear-shattering scream and even goes as far as to whimper in pain after the marker is removed. Bayard puts his helmet back on and grabs Summer and Ruby leading them out of the room in handcuffs.

The other two men grab what's in the room and then set out for the gate. This gate is the same as the one in the last city except for it's size -only large enough for a large truck. When it opens Summer and Ruby are thrown out and their bags follow soon after. Once it closes, Summer's scroll lights up with another message from Albus. "I heard from Bayard that they got you, I should be there soon. I had something to do at home so just hang tight."

Summer closes her scroll and sits next to Ruby on the wall. "Are you OK, Ruby?" She grabs her daughter's trembling hand.

"I'm OK mom, but what will we do now if we can't go home?" Ruby looks at the ground sadly.

Summer wraps her arms around Ruby and hugs her. "Albus is coming to pick us up and he will take us to a new city."

Ruby looks up to see her mother softly crying but trying to hold a smile. "But...but they won't let you in now that you have that mark, right?"

"Don't worry this city has nothing against hunters or huntresses, the mark means nothing to them." Summer pulls Ruby in tighter as she hears the sound of Albus' death trap nearing them.

End.

Note: So I wrote this on the thought of what would the world be like if the opposite of what happened in Mother's Wish happened, as in the Grimm war being won where here it was lost. Different people died and so on so tell me what you think and any ideas you may have for this or Mother's Wish. Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

Broken Shield

Chapter 2

Note regarding Chapter 1: I made an edit to the original. It was a small edit of the message that Albus sends Summer. It is meant to say: "I had something to take care of at home. I'll be there in just a bit." It is fixed in Chapter 1 now if you'd like to go back and read it again. Also, sorry for the long gap in uploads. I have had a lot going on in my life and have had a hard time getting motivation to write.

By the time Albus pulls up to the side of the wall, it's almost noon. Summer and Ruby stand up and walk over to him. Ruby had been sleeping the first time she was on the bike -when she was taken to her uncles, she surveys it with some trepidation now, noting it is just as tall as she on the back end and far taller in the front.

Albus speaks, "Sorry I'm late, let's get moving before night falls and the Grimm get more active." With that Summer picks up Ruby and hands her to Albus before climbing up herself.

"I've got my gear and everything I just hope we get there in time."

Albus turns them around and starts to head to Vale. "We'll make if we are lucky but otherwise get ready for any Grimm." He revs the engine and the bike lurches forward.

Ruby holds tightly to her mother, not knowing whats going on she looks at her mother and then to Albus. "Mommy, where are we going and what about daddy and Yang?"

Summer pulls her daughter closer. " They should already be in the new city, another nice man went to pick them up outside of our old city." She kisses the top of Ruby's head and smlies hoping that she isn't lying to the girl.

As they drive it becomes apparent that they won't reach Vale before nightfall, as it is still a few hours away and the sun is giving its last rays of light over the Kingdom.

Albus glances in his side mirror, sighs, and speeds up, adding his aura to the fuel in order to boost them. "Summer get ready, we have a King Taijiu coming up behind us." As if it had been waiting to be noticed the snake grimm bursts throught the tree line and rushes the motorcycle. Albus kicks on two small thrusters near the tires to send them over the snake. "You have your sword right?"

Summer grabs her suitcase and from the hidden chamber on the side pulls a long sword with a hollow center which is filled with dust. "Of course I do." She grabs Ruby and gives her to Albus. "Dear hold onto him until we get rid of this thing, ok?" Ruby just nods as Summer turns back to the snake and stands on the small flat area on the back of the bike.

The snake Grimm is only a few meters behind Summer and suddenly begins to glow red before a piller of fire erupts from the ground, putting some more distance between them and the snake.

As it draws closer breaking trees and anything else in its way, Summer readies her sword and it starts glowing a bright hot crimson. As she slashes waves of dust fly from the blade and burst into flame seconds later. "Albus can this thing go any faster?!"

"I'm pushing her as hard as she can go Summer, just hold it for a moment while I get you something." Albus starts to reach around in the several containment areas of the chopper. After a short time he pulls out a small cluster of what looks like grenades. "Catch!" he tosses them back to Summer, who snaches them out of the air.

"What are these?"

"Just get them in it's mouth, all of them." Albus shouts turning back to the road which has become harder to navigate as trees rock and divits in the ground grow more common.

Summer conntinues to lanch fire at the grimm, each hit exploding and making it recoil slightly before coming back with more anger than before. 'this is my chance, when it charges to bite I'll throw these in and knock it back.' Summer thinks to herself.

For some time the tijitsu keeps it's distance before jolting forward and almost soaring over the chopper, as it comes down Summer spins the cluster and throws it into the mouth that is descending on her, the mouth that is now closing in on the end of the chopper.

"Pathetic!" Summer yells as a shockwave shatters the fangs and tears off the front end of its mouth, sending the snake back in pain. "You could have lived longer if you had let us pass." She sits down on the flat spot as the tijistu comes back at her only to explode just before reaching them.

"You never lose your touch do you, Summer?"

"I feel like I could have done it faster, but I've been out of combat for a while so that's expected." Carefully she climbs back onto the front and takes Ruby from Albus. With the sun close to setting the trees pose more of a threat than during daylight hours, as they hold more grimm and, even worse, the nevermores that come out shortly after the sun goes down.

After another hour of traveling they arrive, a large steel wall not unlike the previous two looms before them. Albus quicky shows an ID and the city of Vale opens its gate. "Come on you two we can't keep this open for long," the guard just inside says as he waits with an impatiant look plastered onto his face.

"Don't mind him he's alway like that, now let's get to my place it's not far, we can walk." Albus starts down the street and Summer quickly follows holding the now sleeping Ruby.

The city moves slowly around them, with hardly anyone on the streets; the streetlights flicker and the passing cars cast an eerie glow on their faces. While Summer follows Albus her mind wanders off, thinking about her husband. Things have not always worked out with them and they knew that what they had might fall apart soon but they still tried, if only for Ruby and Yang. She had loved someone else before him, but she died long ago in the begining of the Hunter's war. What she wouldn't give just to see her one last time... Summer is jerked back into reality as a car honks at her for stopping in the middle of the road. "Sorry." She quickly catches up with Albus on the other side of the street.

"Something on your mind, Summer?"

"...huh oh no it's nothing, let's just get to your place."

"Ok, it's just down here."

Albus leads Summer to a rather large house at the entrance of the residental distict. It is made of red brick on the first floor with dark wood trim separating it from the second floor, which is made of a smooth white marble. This same marble also surrounds the front door. A chimney graces the far right wall and several windows line the top leading to different rooms. One of the rooms on the top floor still holds a faint light.

"This is huge! How do you afford this?"

"Anyone willing to go outside the walls to do jobs gets paid quite well." He opens the door, all of the lights are off except for the flicker of the TV down the hallway. "I'm home." He calls softly and takes his boots off before walking down the wall to the living room.

Summer stays just in the threshold of the doorway still slightly stunned.

"Summer," Albus waves his hand in front of her. "Hey, Summer, you there?"

"Oh sorry." She steps inside and removes her shoes, then sits down on the couch, placing Ruby next to her. "Is there anywere she can sleep?"

Before Albus can answer the sound of foot steps on the stairs stops them. A small girl with white hair and blue eyes comes down and enters the living room. "Albus you're late, you assured me that you would be home before dark."

Albus just smiles lightly and turns to Summer. "Yeah yeah, sorry about that but I had to pick someone up. Summer this is Weiss, Weiss this is my friend Summer."

"W... Weiss Schnee!?... what?" She stops to quiet herself down. Lowering her voice, she continues, "What is Weiss Schnee doing here!? I thought they were all dead."

"It's a long story that I can tell you later," He waved his hand to table the subject, "so I forgot to ask but how is the mark on your shoulder feeling?"

"Wait, she's a huntress?" Weiss fully enters the room and sits on the second couch, opposite from Summer. Every bit of her upbringing shows in how she walks and holds herself.

"Yes, but I retired after the war,"Summer answered the young girl then turned to her friend, "and it's doing fine, I fought off the Tijitsu just fine."

Weiss looks over at Ruby and her face goes from slightly annoyed to worried. "If you need a place for her to sleep, she can share my bed for now."

Summer looks at Weiss then Ruby then back to Weiss."Thank you, she has had a rough day, Albus can you take her up I'm just going to pass out right here."

Albus picks up Ruby and Weiss leads them up the stairs. Summer lies down and falls asleep before her head hits the couch.

-Next morning-

Summer is woken up by a gentle nudge. "Ruby, go back to bed."

"I'm not Ruby, now get up." Summer opens her eyes to see the short figure of Weiss through the filter of the hair covering her eyes.

Summer sits up and a blanket falls from her shoulders, "Huh?" She panics and rapidly looks around the room. "Where Ruby!?" She almost stands up but Weiss grabs her hand.

"She is still sleeping, she hogged the bed too." Weiss sits down next Summer soflty.

"I assume you're wondering why I'm living here, Weiss Schnee next in line to run the Schnee Dust company."

"Yes... I heard that all of the Schnees were killed in a raid a few years ago."

"It's somewhat of a long story." Weiss leans back into the couch.

_Schnee family summer home in Vale 2 years ago._

_"Weiss get in the crawl space and stay there until we come for you." Loud banging is heard from the other side of the wall and Weiss, being too scared to do anything else, listens and hides. Shortly after the door is knocked completely off its hinges and a large group of people with swords and guns come in. Weiss watches eveything as it happens in front of her, her father taking six shots while running at one of the gunmen and cutting him open before falling over dead, the servants being cut down one by one and finally her mother and the last few servants taken outside. Weiss hears several gun shots and then silence._

_The next thing Weiss hears is foot steps, three pair, that belong to VPD officers. When she sees them, she runs out crying from her hiding place. One of the officers takes her to the police station and then a few days later to a meeting discussing her future, and the future of the SDC._

_"Since Ms. Schnee is to young to take over her father's company, it will pass to the Atlas district manager until she reaches the age of eighteen." An offical looking man stated. Weiss thinks he must be pretty important, as he is surrounded by many people also stand guard on either side of the door, both trained hunters. Weiss simply sits quietly on one side of the room, until they stop talking and turn to her._

_"Ms. Schnee," the large man in the middle speaks first._

_"Yes?"_

_"Until you are of age, we will need to find someone to be your care taker. Do you know anyone that could fulfuill that?"_

_She doesn't respond, almost her whole life had been spent in her mansion in Atlas excepting only when she was on a trip. As for a caretaker her whole family had just been stares blankly at the man a moment before answering._

_"No... I don't" She lowers her head and looks to the floor._

_"I'll do it." A new voice sounds, one Weiss doesn't know._

_"And who might you be?" the man in the middle speaks again. _

_Before the man can respond the other interupts him. "And just why do you think you are capable of being the care taker of Weiss Schnee?"_

_Weiss turns to see the man, one of the two hunters stationed inside,wearing mostly whites and grays, long white hair and dark green eyes. "I am a well trained hunter and veteran from the Grimm War." The man looks down to the floor. "I also knew her father, we weren't quite friends, but I knew him."_

_The other men turn to each other and whispers are passed around for a few moments. "What is your name, also it comes down to her decision."_

_"I understand, my name is Albus Serpens."_

_"Hmmm, well, Ms. Schnee do want to go with this man or would you rather have one of your father's associates take you in?"_

_Weiss thinks back, trying to remember anyone who worked with her father, but she could only find her family and some people that she hated."I don't want to go with my father's men, so my only other choice is him." _

_The man sitting in the middle of the group sighs. "Fine then, after all of the papers are filled out." He gives Albus a slightly angry glare before saying anything else, then very sternly says. "Come with me sir." _

_(AN: I have no idea how this would really work and if I get some more time I'll fix it but please bear with it for now.)_

_After the discussion ends, Weiss is taken to the waiting room until everything is finished. About an hour later the man with white hair comes out of the back room turns around, puts his pointer and middle finger together and brings it to his temple before bringing them back down. _

_Weiss stands up,walks over to him and pulls on his sleeve. He looks down and to Weiss' suprise is smiling. He kneels down to her level. "I know it's a bit awkward, we've never even met..." Weiss puts up one hand to stop him._

_"I chose you for a reason. Every time I meet anyone who worked under my father they always give me the same look of hatred."_

_With that Albus stands and holds his hand out to Weiss. _

"It has been two years since then." Albus comes down the stairs into the living room and finishes what Weiss had been saying. "So, you ok Summer?"

"Yeah, I'm good... just one thing."

Albus walks over and stands next to her. "Whats up?"

Before Summer can say anything the ringing of Albus' scroll fills the room. "Damn it!" He pulls out his scroll and quickly puts it down.

He waits for a moment with a stunned expresion."Summer," he turns to her. "When the pick up for Yang and Odell got there, Yang was sitting against the wall alone, crying. She is waiting by the main gate now."

Summer bolts from the couch and straight out the door, leaving Albus and Weiss shocked.

As Summer runs through the city, she ignores eveything in her path on the way to the main gate. It is still early morning and not many people are out. She reachs the gate, bursts through the wall of guards and hugs Yang the moment she finds her. "You're ok, you're ok." She repeats, holding Yang close.

"Mom." Yang barely gets out as she is crying into her mother's shoulder.

"Yes, dear."

"They didn't let dad go." She pulls away a little so she can be heard."When in the cells, they grabbed dad and after a little bit I heard a gun shot, then they took me outside and left me there."

Summer is silent, her husband dead, her old life gone. She picks up Yang and slowly walks back to Albus' home. She finds Ruby firing questions to Weiss and Albus. She puts Yang down on the couch, she falls asleep quickly.

"Mommy, whats wrong with Yang?"

Nothing, dear. But I need to tell you something." Summer turns to her daughter and hugs her. "Daddy won't be coming, he isn't here anymore."

Ruby looks at her mother questioningly before it hits her, she doesn't say a word but instead hugs Summer and cries loudly.

"I'm sorry, my dear Ruby"

End.

AN: I'm really sorry about the two month laps in time between the first chapter and this one. I was planning on having it be longer to make up for the time but this is as far as I could go without a time lapse so I hope you enjoyed it and please leave a reveiw and all that good stuff.  
~Glynda


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